Garment hanger

ABSTRACT

A U-shaped body member having a pair of arms urged apart by spring means and terminating at their lower ends in jaws arranged to clamp the cuffs of trousers therebetween. A link has pivotal connection at one of its ends to one of the arms and pivotal connection at its other end to an over-center latch member pivotally supported on the other arm. The pivot connection of the link with the latch member is off-set from the pivot connection of the latch with its supporting arm. The latch is rotatable between two positions one of which causes the link to spread the jaws and the other position of which comprises an over-center position with the jaws being drawn together in a clamped position on the trousers. The latch member projects laterally from one side of the body member for ready finger engagement, making the hanger readily operable with one hand.

[76] Inventor:

United States Patent [191 Peterson 1 GARMENT HANGER Eldon L. Peterson,4631 E. B St., Tacoma, Wash. 98404 221' Filed: Nov. 28, 1973 [21] Appl.No.: 419,639

Primary Examiner-George H. Krizmanich I Attorney, Agent, or FirmEugeneD. Farley m 3,865,287 [451 Feb, 11, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT A U-shaped bodymeinber having a pair of arms urged apart by spring means andterminating at their lower ends in jaws arranged to clamp the cuffs oftrousers therebetween. A link has pivotal connection at one of its endsto one of the arms and pivotal connection at its other end to anover-center latch member pivotally supported on the other arm. Thepivotconnection of the link with the latch member is off-set from thepivot connection of the latch with its supporting arm. The latch isrotatable between two positions one of which causes the link to spreadthe jaws and the other position of which comprises an over-centerposition with the jaws being drawn together in a clamped position on thetrousers. The latch member projects laterally from one side of the bodymember for ready finger engagement, making the hanger readily operablewith one hand.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 GARMENT HANGER BACKGROUND or THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to new and useful improvements in garmenthangers.

Garment hangers have heretofore been provided which employ a pair ofjawsbetween which the cuffs of trousers are engaged for hanging the pantsupright from the cuffs. Most of these prior hangers utilize a springconnected body member having crossed arms for the jaws whereby thetrousers are mounted on the hangers by springing the arms apart,inserting the cuffs between the jaws, and then releasing the arms. Insuch structures, the grip on the pants is accomplished entirely by thespring force of the body member. In order to mount the pants in place,the operator must spring the body member with one hand while installingthe pants with the other hand, and to accomplish an adequate holdingforce for the pants, the spring effect of the body member must be quitestrong. Such makes the hanger hard to operate, and if the spring effectof the body portion is lessened to increase the ease of operation, or ifthe spring effect becomes weak with use, then the pants are notadequately held in place.

I SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION According to the present invention and forminga primary objective thereof, a garment hanger is provided which isdesigned to provide ease of operation, particularly an operation whichmay be effected by one hand, and which at the same time provides apositive grip on the trousers.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide agarment hanger of the type described employing a U-shaped body. membersupporting a pair of jaws between which the cuffs of trousers areengaged, and also employing an actuating link between the arms of theU-shaped body member operated by a latch capable of moving the jaws ofthe body member from a spaced apart position to a clamped position onthe trousers.

Another object is to provide a garment hanger of the type describedwherein the operatingmechanism for opening and closing the jaws,comprising the link and rotatable latch, are readily engaged andoperable by one hand, and further to provide in said operating mechanismmeans to open the jaws wider than their normal open position to receiveextra thick garments.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects andadvantages will become apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERREDEMBODIMENT With particular reference to the drawings, the garment hangerof the present invention comprises a U- shaped body member 10 consistingof-a pair of arms 12 and a connecting portion 14. It is preferred thatthe arms be substantially rigid but that the connecting portion 14 besufficiently flexible or springy throughout its length to permit thearms to move apart and together an amount sufficient to receive and toclamp a pair of trouser cuffs therebetween. A body member constructed ofa suitable sheet metal or plastic may possess the inherent requirements.

The lower ends of the arms 12 carry a pair of longitudinally extendingparallel jaws 16 between which the trouser cuffs are adapted to beclamped for the purpose of supporting the trousers in inverted position.A supporting hook 18 is integrated with the upper end of the bodyportion 10.

The body member 10, and more particularly the connecting portion 14, isarranged in its formation to hold the jaws l6 normally open as shown inFIG. 3. The mechanism for closing the jaws as shown in FIG. 2 comprisesa link 20 having a longitudinally disposed pivot connection 22 at one ofits ends on one arm. This link has pivotal connection 24 in a bifurcatedportion 25 ofa latch member 26 in turn having a pivot connection 28 onthe other arm, the latter pivot connection also extending longitudinallyor in the same direction as the jaws. Both arms 20 have suitable slotmeans. 30 for receiving the link 20 and latch member 26 and permittingoperationthereof.

The pivot connection 24 between the link 20 and the latch member 26 isoffset or eccentric with relation to the pivot support 28 for the latchmember, and with the jaws open, FIG. 3, the connection 24 is located ata point intermediate the arms and above the pivot support 28. Fordrawing the jaws together, the latch member 26 is rotatedcounterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 to a position wherein thepivot connection 24 is disposed outside of the one arm, FIG. 2, and isover center 'relative to the pivot support 28. Such overcenter positionof the pivot connection 24 holds the jaw members positively together.

Latch member 26 has a contoured edge 32 opposite from pivot support 28to provide gripping projections 34 for assisting the operator inrotating the latch, the latch being rotated between its two positions bysuitable finger engagement with the projections 34. Secured on the outersideof one of the arms 12 and extending over the pivot connection 22 isa finger abutment 36. This abutment allows the operator to hook onefinger thereunder and facilitateoperation of the latch member 26 bymeans of other fingers on the same hand. The device is thus readilyoperable by a single hand. I

According. to the present invention a pair of pants is readily mountedon the hanger first by releasing the latch 26 to the FIG. 3 position toopen the jaws, then placing the pants cuffs between the jaws, and thenrotating the latch to its over-center position. As stated, the jaws canbe opened and closed with a single hand, thus allowing the other hand tosuitably manipulate the trouser cuffs when installing or removing thetrousers.

Since the link connection between the two arms comprises a direct ratherthan a spring connection, a positive grip will be obtained on thetrousers.

It is noted in FIG. 3 that in the released rest position of the latchmember 26, an imaginary line extending through the two pivot connections28 and 24 is angled upwardly rather than being directed straight acrosstoward the other arm. Thus, the arms can be spread far- I sorted towithout departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A garment hanger comprising:

a. a U-shaped body member having a pair of arms and a springy connectingportion therefor normally urging the arms apart,

b. jaw means on said arms arranged to receive a garment portiontherebetween for clamping and holding the garment,

-c. a laterally extending link pivotally connected at one of its ends toone of saidarms, 1

d. an over-center latch member'pivotally connected to the other of saidarms and having a fingerengaging portion projecting laterally outwardfrom said arm for finger engagement by an operator,

e. means pivotally connecting the other end of said link to said latchmember,

f. said latch member being rotatable between a released position and anover-center locked position. the movement of said latch member to itsreleased position driving said link and said one arm outwardly from thearm on which the latch member is supported to spread the arms apart toreceive a garment between the jaws and the movement of said latch memberto its over-center locked position pulling the link and said one armtoward the arm on which the latch member is supported to clamp the jawstogether and hold a garment thcrebetween,

g. and finger abutment means on the outside of the arm. to which saidlink is pivotally connected facilitating anchoring one fingerthereagainst upon engaging said latch member with another finger of thesame hand, thus providing a clamping garment hanger which is operablebetween the released and locked positions of said latch member by onehand.

2. The garment hanger of claim 1 wherein said latch member is manuallyrotatable beyond its released position to drive the arms apart fartherthan the normal spring open position thereof.

1. A garment hanger comprising: a. a U-shaped body member having a pairof arms and a springy connecting portion therefor normally urging thearms apart, b. jaw means on said arms arranged to receive a garmentportion therebetween for clamping and holding the garment, c. alaterally extending link pivotally connected at one of its ends to oneof said arms, d. an over-center latch member pivotally connected to theother of said arms and having a finger-engaging portion projectinglaterally outward from said arm for finger engagement by an operator, e.means pivotally connecting the other end of said link to said latchmember, f. said latch member being rotatable between a released positionand an over-center locked position, the movement of said latch member toits released position driving said link and said one arm outwardly fromthe arm on which the latch member is supported to spread the arms apartto receive a garment between the jaws and the movement of said latchmember to its overcenter locked position pulling the link and said onearm toward the arm on which the latch member is supported to clamp thejaws together and hold a garment therebetween, g. and finger abutmentmeans on the outside of the arm to which said link is pivotallyconnected facilitating anchoring one finger thereagainst upon engagingsaid latch member with another finger of the same hand, thus providing aclamping garment hanger which is operable between the released andlocked positions of said latch member by one hand.
 2. The garment hangerof claim 1 wherein said latch member is manually rotatable beyond itsreleased position to drive the arms apart farther than the normal springopen position thereof.